System for loading patterns of articles into containers

Apparatus for loading product into a container comprising:

• delivery means for delivering an empty container to a loading station, handling means at said loading station for moving an empty container from said delivery means to a loading position, support means for receiving and holding an empty container in said loading position, endless loading means movable along an endless path having a substantially horizontal lower reach disposed immediately above said loading position, said loading means including a conveyor section for supporting product and a window section for allowing product to drop therethrough, transfer means for moving product onto said conveyor section when said conveyor section is disposed along said lower reach of said endless path, shifting means for shifting the product from said conveyor section through said window section and into a container supported in said loading position when the loading means moves in a predetermined direction along said endless path, and discharge means carried by said loading means and effective, upon continued movement thereof along said path, for moving the loaded container from said loading position.

A system for loading groups of articles into a container comprising:

• infeed means for conveying a series of articles along an infeed path, orienting means for receiving articles from the infeed means and selectively orienting the articles for arrangement of a group of the articles in a predetermined pattern, support means for holding a container at a loading position, endless loading means movable along an endless path having a substantially horizontal lower reach disposed immediately above said loading position, said loading means including a conveyor section for supporting articles and a window section for allowing articles to drop therethrough, transfer means for moving articles onto said conveyor section in said predetermined pattern when said conveyor section is disposed along said lower reach of said endless path, shifting means for shifting the pattern of articles from said conveyor section through said window section into a container supported in said loading position when the loading means moves in a predetermined direction along said endless path, outfeed means for conveying loaded containers along an outfeed path, and discharge means carried by said loading means and effective, upon continued movement thereof along said endless path, for moving the loaded container from said loading position to said outfeed means.